It has been just less than six months since the Greenville Swamp Rabbits' season ended in the first round of the ECHL playoffs. On Friday night, the team takes the home ice looking for a fresh start and a season that will go well past April.

The Swamp Rabbits host the Wheeling Nailers at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday to launch the franchise’s eighth season. It marks the first time since the 2011-2012 season that Greenville has opened the schedule at home.

“Opening night, to have The Well packed, and for our players to come out of the tunnel and see that sets the tone for the season for us,” said Brian Gratz, who is beginning his third season as coach. “Those fans really energize our guys. Our players know when we step on the ice we’re playing for each other, but we’re playing for the city as well.”

Last year, Greenville placed second in the ECHL South Division with 86 points, the third-highest point total in franchise history.

The playoffs began well as the Swamp Rabbits defeated South Carolina by a combined 10-4 in the first two games. The Stingrays rolled through the next four games, winning by a combined 20-3. The playoff loss showed Gratz the team needed to augment its physical side to support a fast attack.

“Every time you end a season and you look to the next year, you look at what you did well and why your season ended prematurely if you didn’t win a championship,” Gratz said. “We knew we had to address (the physical play) while not sacrificing that skill and speed that is the kind of hockey that I like from my team.

“Our team got bigger. We’ve got guys who are strong in corners and are going to be able to fight through what’s going to be probably the toughest and most competitive division in the ECHL this year.”

There will be some familiar faces on the team, including long-time captain Bretton Cameron and defenseman Joe Houk. A fair amount of rebuilding was needed in the offseason, though, so Swamp Rabbits fans will have a new set of players to get to know.

“We had a good season last year,” Gratz said. “A lot of guys had personal-best seasons, which is what we want for them. They get the opportunity to go to the AHL or go over to Europe for good money and good opportunities. With that happening, we had to rebuild. It’s not a lot of guys coming back, but I think it’s a group of guys that are high-character and high-quality hockey players, giving us a really good start to what we’re looking to do."

With the season starting, here are some numbers that can help fans get focused on the latest version of the Swamp Rabbits.

0: Preseason losses for the Swamp Rabbits. They defeated the Gladiators in Atlanta 4-3 on Oct. 5. Greenville then beat the Stingrays in Charleston on Oct. 7 by that same 4-3 count, but in overtime.

2: Opportunities to throw stuff on the ice. The annual and very popular Teddy Bear Toss, when fans bring stuffed animals to throw on the ice upon Greenville’s first goal, will take place Dec. 15. The animals go to Toys for Tots. This Saturday, it’s the first Underwear Toss. On the Swamps Rabbits’ first goal of the game, fans will toss new underwear, diapers, and undergarments to the ice. These items will go to a local charity.

3: Live jersey auctions. The Swamp Rabbits will wear special jerseys for Brick-by-Brick Night on Nov. 3, Stick It to Cancer Night on Jan. 19, and Heroes Night on March 10. Each time, fans can bid on the jerseys in a live auction after the game. Also, the team will wear special warm-up jerseys prior to CDS Night on March 6. Those warm-ups will be available via an auction during the game.

7: The ECHL South Division will be a bit different this season. The seven South Division teams include the standards – Greenville, Atlanta, Florida, Orlando and South Carolina. Norfolk is in the South again. The new team in the South is the first-year Jacksonville IceMen.

10:30: Starting time for the two school day games. The Swamp Rabbits again will play daytime games, enabling children to attend and visit educational displays in the concourse. Elementary Education Day will be Nov. 1. Middle School STEM Day will be Nov. 15.

30: The ECHL is celebrating its 30th season. From its start with five teams in four states during the 1988-1989 season, the “AA” minor league now boasts 27 teams in 21 states and one province in Canada.

40: Greenville’s wins in the 2016-2017 season (40-26-5-1), part of an 86-point season that landed the Swamp Rabbits in second place in the South Division and in a playoff spot.

972: The number of scheduled ECHL regular season games. The regular season stretches from October to April.

Promotion: Underwear Toss. Keep it clean, folks! Bring new underwear, diapers and other undergarments. After the Swamp Rabbits' first goal, throw them onto the ice; they'll be donated to a local charity. Also: Pregame fan fest again.